Born Jan. 20, 1971
Burlington, Vermont
Died Feb. 5, 2025
Essex Junction, Vermont
Details of services
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 21 starting at 1 p.m. Please contact davestephany@gmail.com for location and further details.
Brian Alexander Stephany, 54, of Essex Junction, died unexpectedly of natural causes on Feb. 5, 2025.
Born in Burlington on Jan. 20, 1971, he was a longtime area painting contractor, most recently as the owner of Lupine Painting and prior to that at Lafayette Painting. In addition to being a highly respected craftsman, Brian was a devoted and loving “papa” to his son Colter and daughter Lune, who survive him.
Equally at ease in the company of people from any and all stations of life, there wasn’t an ear Brian didn’t enjoy bending. He became a recognizable figure to many with his long ponytail and trademark paint-speckled Atlanta Braves hat – a signature look he committed to for some 25 years!
Brian was a member of Burlington High School’s class of 1989 and the goalkeeper on its 1987 state championship soccer team before attending the University of Vermont. He enjoyed reading, cooking and fishing, was an avid Braves fan and Vermont Public listener, and had fond memories of summerlong adventures working on Nantucket and at Yellowstone National Park.
In addition to his children, Brian is survived by his parents, Judith (Edward) Ahearn of Burlington and William (Christie) Stephany of Shelburne; siblings David (Caroline) Stephany of Westerville, Ohio, Kathleen (Liam) Hennessy of Wicklow Town, Ireland, and Nicholas Stephany of Georgia, VT; a niece and four nephews who delighted in his quirky sense of humor; four step-siblings and their families; an uncle, Gerard Buckley of San Diego; and a wide circle of friends, cousins and extended family. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Mary and F. Alexander Stephany and Agnes and John A. Buckley.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 21 starting at 1 p.m. Please contact davestephany@gmail.com for location and further details. In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Brian’s memory with a donation to the Safe Harbor Health Center or to the Middlebury Area Land Trust, designated for its work with the National Park Service to construct and maintain sections of the North Country National Scenic Trail in Vermont.
To share memories, please visit Brian’s obituary and tribute wall at www.gregorycremation.com/obituaries.
